Taxicab indicator



June 1930- 0. cv ROESEN TAXICAB INDICATOR 2 Shee fs-Sheet 1 Original. Filed July 19, 1928 H 0 2 W a a 4 77 W M W F a a HAW/U w i a m 16 a June 17, 1930. O, Q ROESEN 1,763,821

TAXIGAB INDICATOR Original Filed July 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES OSCAR C. ROESEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK I TAXICAB INDICATOR Application filedfuly 19, 1928, Serial No. 293,957. Renewed January 22, 1930.

This invention relates to an indicator to be. used on a taxicab for the purpose of showing whether it is ready' for hire or not.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide efficient and simple means for accomplishing the above mentioned result and thereby permitting would-be passengers on the side-walk to look over a line of automobiles and see whether there is a taxi in the crowd that is for hire atthe time, and also to provide a number of ways in which this object can be accomplished.

Reference is to be had to'the accompanying drawings in which 7 Fig. 1 is a side View, partially diagrammatic in form, showing a roof of a taxicab in section and illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention; and

Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are similar views showing modifications.

It is a source of difiiculty in large cities that a person Wishing a taxicab sees many of them on the street but, unless they are on the inside next to him, he is unable to tell whether they are carrying passengers or not. It would be a great advantage if he could look over the roofs of the various taxicabs and other vehicles and instantly recognize whether those going along are either occupied or for hire.

For the purpose of accomplishing this result I have shown several constructions. In Fig. 1 the taxicab is not shown except that its roof is indicated at 10 and the taxi-meter at 11. It is not my desire to change the taximeter in any way. This is usually provided with a pivoted flag 12 which indicates whether it is being used or for hire. When the flag is up in a vertical position, as shown in this figure, the taxicab is for hire, and when it is turned down in the direction of the arrow it is in use and operating. This, of course, is accomplished by the operator in the usual way. The pivot of the flag 12 is connected by a wire to a solenoid 13, which is .connected with the battery 14 and with a terminal 15- on the taxi-meter. A spring 16 is connected with the plunger 17 of the solenoid and normally holds the plunger up. Pivotally connected with this plunger is a lever 18, one end of which passes through an opening 19 in a stationary plate 20, and the other carries a display flag or signal 21. When the parts are in the position shown, the taxi-meter being for hire, this signal is displayed at a high elevation. When the flag 12 is turned over horizontally to connect the meter, this end 22, which is connected with the pivot shaft, engages the contact 15. This completes the circuit and pulls down the plunger 17 so as to bring down the signal 21.

If desired, a plate 23 can be located in a position to entirely hide this signal when it is down, but ordinarily when it is lowered in a position it is not to be seen over the roofs of other taxicabs or, at any rate, it is at such a different elevation that the public would soon recognize the difference.

This it will be seen constitutes a simple means operating automatically without the driver having to do anything except what he always has to do, namely turn down the flag 12. It is not likely to get out of order and is independent of ordinary mechanical constructions, such as cords, ropes, etc., which are apt to shrink or stretch according to the weather and also is not likely to wear out as such a construction would be.

Similar results are secured by the construction shown in Fig. 2, but in this case the flag '12 is connected directly with the lever 18 by a flexible cord 24: passing over guide rolls 25. Here the turning down of the flag 12 will also move down the signal 21 mechanically. A spring 26 is used to raise the signal when the flag 12 is raised.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, I have shown a similar arrangement except that the meter signal 12 controls power from a different source which operates the display signal. Here a tube 27 is connected with the engine manifold 28 or carburetter, and the movement of the meter signal 12 operates through a connecting rod 29 to directly move a piston 30, which will connect the tube 27 with a tube 31 or disconnect it therefrom. When connected the suction is connected to a cylinder 32 in the form of the well known vacuum wind-shield wiper. This works in the same way to oscillate an electric signal 33 back and forth between the two positions indicated.

This signal is lighted by an electric circuit energized by a battery 34 and can be controlled by a hand switch 35 to be lighted /at night.

In Fig. 4 all the conditions shown in Fig. 3 are present except that the suction tube 31 is connected with the inside of a single-acting cylinder 38 having a piston 36 therein and a spring 37 under the piston. The suction will move the piston down against the spring and the piston is connected with the lever 18, pre viously described, for pulling down the flag 21.

In the form shown in Fig. 5 the windshield wiper cylinder 32 and signal 33 are employed to be operated electrically and connected up only when a push button 40 is closed. As a matter of fact in all the electric devices herein shown the push button can be substituted for the automatic connection upon the operation of the flag and meter, if that is desired.

Another simple form is shown in Fig. 6, in which an illuminated stationary signal 41 is located on the roof of the car and energized by battery 34 when the contacts 43 are brought into engagement by the movement of the flag l2.

It will be seen that in the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the signal is raised or lowered for display or concealment.

In the forms shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the signal swings back and forth to attract attention and it is, or may be, illuminated.

In Fig. 6 simply a stationary illuminated sign is employed.

Although I have illustrated and described several forms in which this invention can be carried out, I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to the exact forms shown, but what I do claim is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a vehicle having on the roof a vacuum wind-shield wiper cylinder and a signal pivoted thereon and operated thereby so as to oscillate when the cylinder is connected with a source of suction, of a taxi-meter in the vehicle having a signal flag adapted to. be moved to two positions, and means connected with the signal flag for connecting the manifold with. the vacuum cylinder and thus operate the movable signal.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a vehicle, a vacuum wind-shield wiper-cylinder and a signal pivo t ed thereon along the roof of the taxicab to be oscillated thereby when the cylinder is connected with a source of suction, of a taximeter having a signal device adapted to be moved to two positions, a piston, means connected with the signal device for moving the piston back and forth, a cylinder in which the piston is located, a connection from a source of suction to the cylinder at one side and a connection from the cylinder to the vacuum wind-shield cylinder at a point where it can be covered by the piston in one position thereof and uncovered in another position, to connect the source of suction with the vacuum wiper cylinder and thus operate the signal.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a vehicle having on the roof a vacuum wind-shield wiper cylinder and a signal pivoted thereon and operated thereby so as to oscillate when the cylinder is connected with a source of suction, of a taxi-meter in the vehicle having a signal flag adapted to be moved to two positions, a piston, means connected with the signal flag for moving the piston back and forth, a cylinder in which the piston is located, a connection from the engine manifold to the cylinder at one side and a connection from the cylinder to the vacuum wind-shield cylinder, at a point where it can be covered by the piston in one position thereof and uncovered in another position, to connect the manifold with the vacuum cylinder and thus operate the movable signal.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a vehicle, a vacuum wind-shield wiper cylinder and a signal pivoted thereon to be oscillated thereby when the cylinder is connected with a source of suction, of a taxi-meter having a signal device, a piston, means connected with the signal device for moving the piston back and forth, a cylinder in which the piston is located, a connection from a source of suction to the cylinder, and a connection from the cylinder to the vacuum wind-shield cylinder 1 to connect the source of suction with the vacuum wiper cylinder and thus operate the signal.

5. In a device of the character described. the combination with a'vehicle having on the roof a windshield wiper cylinder and a signal pivoted thereon and operated thereby so as to oscillate when the cylinder is connected with a source of power, of a taxi-meter in the vehicle having a signal flag adapted to be moved to two positions, and means connected with the signal flag for connecting the source of power with the cylinder and thus operate the movable signal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

OSCAR C. ROESEN. 

